The Life Span Of Food

Will Those Leftovers Make You Sick?

Condiments

Life span: Three months to a year

People went nuts when the U.S. government classified ketchup as a vegetable in school lunches, but school penny-pinchers were probably just trying to save a dime. Although it possesses dubious nutritional value, ketchup will keep for eight to 12 months; some even say it lasts up to two years.

Mayo used to be relatively unstable. Thanks to pasteurization, however, modern mayo will stay fresh for up to six months. Relish, which is essentially a slurry of preserved veggies, will survive in your fridge for a year. Mustard is hearty; it can kick around your fridge for up to eight months. Salad dressing may separate into an unsightly science experiment if you let it sit for too long, but it’ll still taste good after nine months of storage.

Soy sauce is a lightweight among condiments, lasting only about three months in the fridge after it has been opened. Butter, when refrigerated, will last up to a year before it becomes inedible.

Jams and jellies are called preserves for good reason. A jar will last you a year, barring any late-night peanut butter-and-jelly sandwich parties. Natural maple syrup or Aunt Jemima will last just as long.

Death rattle: Condiments don’t exactly publish obituaries. Mold of any color, shape or texture is a good sign that it’s time to toss them.

Cooked vegetables and grains

Life span: Three to seven days

The life span of cooked veggies is shorter than that of the fresh variety — be sure to eat that leftover broccoli within three days of cooking it. Soup shouldn’t be slurped down after it has been in the fridge for more than three days. Leftover pasta has a pretty good shelf life: A well-sealed bowl of the stuff will stay good for up to five days.

Rice seems benign, but it can turn on you. The same starch that fuels your long workouts can fuel bacteria that can give you terrible indigestion and even make you sick. If you steam a pot of rice, throw it out after seven days in the fridge. Any other stews or leftovers should be eaten within a week.

Death rattle: Thanks to Tupperware, it’s exceedingly tough to tell when leftovers have turned. Look for dried-out bits around the edges. Mold is a dead giveaway. Give your food a sniff: If it doesn’t smell like it did when you cooked it, it’s more than likely gone bad.

Alcohol

Life span: Three days to 10 years

Big-name beers, which have been pasteurized and filtered, will keep longer than microbrews; in fact, they'll last about three months. If you store your beer at room temperature (shame on you), however, it could go bad in a month. In general, follow the freshness date printed on the label, and if you have doubts, take a swig.

Unopened white wine can turn sour within a year, while red wine — if stored in a cool, dark place — can last for decades. Once you open your wine, keep it in the fridge; heat turns wine into vinegar. In fact, "vinegar" is a derivative of the French words “vin” (wine) and “aigre” (sour).

If you’re not careful, wine will easily turn on you. If you put the cork back in and store it upright in the fridge, your wine will last up to three days before the flavor starts to change. After about a week, you’ll have yourself a good bottle of vinegar. Spirits such as rum, gin, vodka, whisky, and brandy have no expiration date. Death rattle: Beer doesn’t usually get to lounge around in the fridge, but it will start to taste flat, sour and bitter when it’s on life support. Some wines, of course, are meant for aging. Others will simply taste worse over time. When in doubt, seek out a good wine store and consult a sommelier. If you ever encounter a bulging cork on a wine bottle, it’s a bad sign. Toss it right away.